I came across the below set of figures recently. Just have a quick scan through & see if you can guess what the figures represent. Notice that most forces’ figure has risen in the last 10 years (that figures were available) while only a small number have gone down.

Force

1997

2006

Avon & Somerset

Ã‚Â£291,760

Ã‚Â£3,156,360

Bedfordshire

Ã‚Â£348,000

Ã‚Â£2,904,420

Cambridgeshire

Ã‚Â£593,480

Ã‚Â£1,230,120

Cheshire

Ã‚Â£431,400

Ã‚Â£1,714,200

Cleveland

Ã‚Â£129,560

Ã‚Â£1,142,640

Cumbria

Ã‚Â£195,280

Ã‚Â£1,921,380

Derbyshire

Ã‚Â£697,520

1,187,840

Devon & Cornwall

Ã‚Â£2,446,000

Ã‚Â£2,549,220

Dorset

Ã‚Â£446,880

Ã‚Â£3,095,940

Durham

Ã‚Â£128,520

Ã‚Â£169,020

Essex

Ã‚Â£1,844,920

Ã‚Â£3,642,300

Gloucestershire

Ã‚Â£250,400

Ã‚Â£804,360

Greater Manchester

Ã‚Â£2,195,760

Ã‚Â£3,616,920

Hampshire

Ã‚Â£1,098,400

Ã‚Â£2,964,240

Hertfordshire

Ã‚Â£704,160

Ã‚Â£4,908,300

Humberside

Ã‚Â£389,400

Ã‚Â£2,203,080

Kent

Ã‚Â£1,148,240

Ã‚Â£2,830,740

Lancashire

Ã‚Â£952,520

Ã‚Â£3,471,480

Leicestershire

Ã‚Â£232,480

Ã‚Â£1,476,360

Lincolnshire

Ã‚Â£263,520

Ã‚Â£1,545,000

City of London

Ã‚Â£20,800

Ã‚Â£365,340

Merseyside

Ã‚Â£472,320

Ã‚Â£1,982,400

Metropolitan

Ã‚Â£1,807,520

Ã‚Â£6,148,920

Norfolk

Ã‚Â£192,200

Ã‚Â£1,499,100

Northamptonshire

Ã‚Â£148,880

Ã‚Â£2,534,520

Northumbria

Ã‚Â£1,024,120

Ã‚Â£3,112,800

North Yorkshire

Ã‚Â£475,160

Ã‚Â£375,480

Nottinghamshire

Ã‚Â£185,000

Ã‚Â£2,574,960

South Yorkshire

Ã‚Â£1,562,480

Ã‚Â£3,088,920

Staffordshire

Ã‚Â£902,080

Ã‚Â£3,049,380

Suffolk

Ã‚Â£290,840

Ã‚Â£2,066,520

Surrey

Ã‚Â£213,600

Ã‚Â£2,371,200

Sussex

Ã‚Â£1,004.960

Ã‚Â£2,881,620

Thames Valley

Ã‚Â£2,131,400

Ã‚Â£8,238,720

Warwickshire

Ã‚Â£74,280

Ã‚Â£1,818,960

West Mercia

Ã‚Â£615,680

Ã‚Â£2,772,780

West Midlands

Ã‚Â£375,120

Ã‚Â£2,669,820

West Yorkshire

Ã‚Â£964,120

Ã‚Â£2,791,680

Wiltshire

Ã‚Â£Ã‚Â£453,200

Ã‚Â£3,087,480

Dyfed Powys

Ã‚Â£268,320

Ã‚Â£63,240

Gwent

Ã‚Â£210,520

Ã‚Â£31,860

North Wales

Ã‚Â£365,840

Ã‚Â£3,569,460

South Wales

Ã‚Â£889,080

Ã‚Â£1,992,480

Total

Ã‚Â£28,510,120

Ã‚Â£106,404,720

I suppose a lot of you have you guessed & it won’t be surprise to those who didn’t that the figures represent the amount of income generated by speed cameras.

Note that some ‘incomes’ have gone up by ten times or more. Only North Yorkshire, Dyfed Powys & Gwent have gone down.

This is all grist to the mill of those who criticise speed cameras. i.e. most motorists. The debate continues on how much use speed cameras are for increasing safety & reducing road deaths.

I remain smug in the knowledge that I’ve not contributed a single penny to the above coffers (in direct fines, I accept that my taxes go to provide & maintain the equipment & adminsitrative staff & processes to run the things).

One thing is sure, whether you think it’s good or bad that so much money is now being raised through speed fines, it’s the police who will get the rough end of the criticism stick. “Haven’t you got anything better to do,?” “picking on the motorist again”, despite the fact that the police officers have little or nothing to do with speed cameras, the people who maintain & administrate them just happen to live in the same building.

If I get some time I’ll try & find out how many people have been saved & not injured because we are fining more motorists. It might make a good project for a winter’s evening some time.